Sarah Palin’s Vain Attempt To Trademark And Charge For The Use Of Her Name And Image?!?!…Is This An Attempt To Restrict Freedom Of The Press?

Sarah Palin wants to restrict the usage of her name and likeness...this is not freedom of the press!!!!

Sarah and Bristol Palin are attempting to trademark their names, so that they can control, charge, and limit the use of their name and likeness, which could limit the press from reporting on either one of them, or connecting their name or likeness to a report that is included in a periodical that is sold for commercial reasons.(CBS)

This is an example of a trademark holder defending their brand to the extreme, but a move like this one by the Palin’s opens the door for this sort of litigation.(USA Today)

It is common for reality stars like Snookie, and “The Situation” to apply for trademarks for their names and likeness, because essentially, they will be hired as representatives for various products that corporations pay them to endorse, it is a capitalistic move, and if you are in that business of branding, then it is a good business move.(Source)

Is Sarah Palin a political icon and future leader...or is she simply an entertainment icon in the making?(ABC News)

She has catapulted over most politicians to a status of entertainment icon and she has become a brand, but unlike celebrities who are in the business of profiting off of their image, Sarah’s celebrity is based on her public service.

When someone applies for a trademark, the patent office wants an example of how his or her name has been used for a commercial purpose. Examples include “signs, photographs, brochures, website printouts or advertisements” that show the proposed trademark “used in the actual sale or advertising of the services.”(SOURCE)

The items submitted to the Trademark office for Sarah were sign and posters with her name and likeness on them, advertising her appearances on Fox news channel, her Facebook profile, and brochures from a Washington speaking engagement she was paid to do, but it was also a political event.(Source)

It is difficult for politicians to regulate all of the activity surrounding their names, and based on how our country supports a free press, it is an unprecedented request for a politician who is supposed to be serving the public.

Few politicians, including Barack Obama, John McCain or Nancy Pelosi have their names registered with the trademark office, and typically they would not want it to be restricted while they are acting as a public servant.(Source)

All that can happen is that the owner of a registered trademark may commence legal proceedings for trademark infringement to prevent unauthorized use of that trademark.the most common reason to have a trademark is to be able to identify the source of products that include the owner’s name or likeness, and to be able to prosecute any malicious infringement of the trademark.(Wiki)

In the case of a politician like Sarah Palin, this is obviously problematic, especially for any commercial news service that may want to report on her….both positively,or negatively.(Source)

…Support American freedom of the press!!!…unless you actually hate it?!?!

…No politician should be allowed to restrict the use of their name and likeness, for any reason!!!…while serving in public office,…and any such restrictions to the use of their name,should be suspended while they are serving in office!!!